Can we actually...er...defend then?

[Dave]

Two clean sheets, both away from home. One against Chelsea.

 

Plaudits from pundits and media alike.

 

Two natural fullbacks, two natural centre-backs; two left-footers, two right-footers.

 

Goalscoring/attacking issues aside, I fucking hope we can build on this.

 

[KaKa]

To answer the question directly ...

 

Bassong can and Taylor can't.

 

Simple as that really.

[Robster]

Decent test next week against the physical tactics of Stoke and the long throw ins from Delap

[James]

Settling down without the arm waving headless chicken

[Dave]

To answer the question directly ...

 

Bassong can and Taylor can't.

 

Simple as that really.

 

Taylor is a decent squad player IMO, but Bassong has the shirt for now, surely?

[Guest BooBoo]

The hammering Taylor gets on here is OTT. Yes, he's not brilliant but he's generally okay.

 

Bassong though on no grounds deserves to be dropped for next weekends game.

[Dave]

The hammering Taylor gets on here is OTT. Yes, he's not brilliant but he's generally okay.

 

Bassong though on no grounds deserves to be dropped for next weekends game.

 

Agreed on both points.

[lovejoy]

The hammering Taylor gets on here is OTT. Yes, he's not brilliant but he's generally okay.

 

Bassong though on no grounds deserves to be dropped for next weekends game.

 

agreed.

 

i dont think he will be dropped either, joe would be daft to change the back 4 at the min

[Guest Alan Shearer 9]

The hammering Taylor gets on here is OTT. Yes, he's not brilliant but he's generally okay.

 

Bassong though on no grounds deserves to be dropped for next weekends game.

 

And the hammering "joke enrique" gets isn't OTT?

[Willow]

To answer the question directly ...

 

Bassong can and Taylor can't.

 

Simple as that really.

 

Taylor is a decent squad player IMO, but Bassong has the shirt for now, surely?

 

Definately.

 

Although Jose had a bit of a mare today... Colo, Beye and Bass' are top draw

 

ps - the forum didn't crash today either, get in!

[KaKa]

To answer the question directly ...

 

Bassong can and Taylor can't.

 

Simple as that really.

 

Taylor is a decent squad player IMO, but Bassong has the shirt for now, surely?

 

I am so nervous about what will happen when Taylor is fit. I don't even want to think about it.

 

Just enjoying Bassong's performances while I can.

 

 

[Rich]

Bassong was the pick of the bunch today, Coloccini was generally solid again but did have a couple of hair-raising moments.

 

Beye his usual fairly solid self (this season's Beye, not last's) and Enrique varied from the ridiculous to the sublime, as always.

 

Where did Jose get those injections of pace from in the second half? A couple of times he motored up that left-flank like nobody's business!

[S.S.R.]

To answer the question directly ...

 

Bassong can and Taylor can't.

 

Simple as that really.

 

Taylor is a decent squad player IMO, but Bassong has the shirt for now, surely?

 

I've thought that since Mallorca, and I 'm probably not alone in that.

[Guest Heneage]

Taylors not cack Bassong just better.

 

Keep it the same next week, with Viduka coming on earlier or starting if fit.

[Guest BooBoo]

The hammering Taylor gets on here is OTT. Yes, he's not brilliant but he's generally okay.

 

Bassong though on no grounds deserves to be dropped for next weekends game.

 

And the hammering "joke enrique" gets isn't OTT?

 

Yeah i was possibly over the top in my levels of criticism but i still stand by the fact that he's a massive weak link in the side.

[TRon]

Decent test next week against the physical tactics of Stoke and the long throw ins from Delap

 

I think that is going to be a very hard game for Colo and Bassong, as the one question mark is in the air. Other than that they look a natural partnership, not forgetting the part played by Beye and Enrique of course.

[Guest Alan Shearer 9]

The hammering Taylor gets on here is OTT. Yes, he's not brilliant but he's generally okay.

 

Bassong though on no grounds deserves to be dropped for next weekends game.

 

And the hammering "joke enrique" gets isn't OTT?

 

Yeah i was possibly over the top in my levels of criticism but i still stand by the fact that he's a massive weak link in the side.

 

Fair enuff

[ChrisMcQuillan]

If we keep that backline, develop them, have Taylor for back-up, they'll go far.  We need two new back-up players for Beye and Enrique (specifically, a long-term replacement for Beye to nurture - not sure Edgar's good enough).  

 

Our front line is fine.  Owen, Martins, Viduka, Ameobi, Carroll, Smith, Xisco (don't write him off under Kinnear, look at Ameobi).

 

Our problem is simple.  Midfield.  

 

On the wings, we have Duff, N'Zogbia and Guttierrez.  That's good enough for me.  Butt and Guthrie, however, aren't.  Butt is barely back-up, and Guthrie definitely is back-up with a view to first team play in the future.  We need Barton to STAY FIT, if he can't, ship him off, and someone else to partner him; say, Denilson - a young, promising player.  We lack creativity to score goals - it's not that our strikers can't score them.  Give us Fabregas and Deco for a week, and watch the goals flow in.

 

We need a first team, and a backup team, and I suggest the following:

 

First Team:

 

Given

Beye, Bassong, Colocinni, Enrique

Gutierrez, NEW, Barton

           Owen

     Martins, Viduka

 

Second Team:

 

Krul

NEW, Taylor, NEW, NEW

NEW, Guthrie, Butt, N'Zogbia

      Ameobi, Smith

 

Subs:  Xisco, Carroll, Edgar, Cacapa (for emergencies when everyone else dies of H5N1)

 

Notice from this that our backline is strong, but we have NO REAL BACKUP.  Our mid-field needs that spark of quality to set off the attack.

 

Sort it out in January, Joe, prove your mettle.

[Dave]

What worries me Chris is Kinnear's willingness to attack. To wit, I don't think it's really a priority for him. So I worry as to whether he'll go for the player we need in there. I certainly don't see him having the bottle to try a 4-3-3.

 

That's if (big if) he gets some money to spend.

[Guest optimistic nit]

To answer the question directly ...

 

Bassong can and Taylor can't.

 

Simple as that really.

 

Taylor is a decent squad player IMO, but Bassong has the shirt for now, surely?

 

I've thought that since Mallorca, and I 'm probably not alone in that.

 

nope.

 

taylor does get a bit of unfair stick mind, but we look at lot more solid with bassong than him. enrique's stick is also a bit ott, but he was appauling today.

[Dave]

Btw Given deserves credit, he looks back to somewhere near his best this season IMO.

[Guest LucaAltieri]

First Team:

 

Given

Beye, Bassong, Colocinni, Enrique

Gutierrez, NEW, Barton

           Owen

     Martins, Viduka

 

Second Team:

 

Krul

NEW, Taylor, NEW, NEW

NEW, Guthrie, Butt, N'Zogbia

      Ameobi, Smith

 

Subs:  Xisco, Carroll, Edgar, Cacapa (for emergencies when everyone else dies of H5N1)

 

Xisco behind Smith? That's a bit harsh. At least Xisco has a club goal to his name.

[Guest Stephen927]

We'll have a different kind of test against Stoke with the amount of long balls they punt high into the box right onto of the goalie as well as Delap's throw ins. Will be very interesting to see how Coloccini copes.

[garth]

Bassong was the pick of the bunch today, Coloccini was generally solid again but did have a couple of hair-raising moments.

 

Beye his usual fairly solid self (this season's Beye, not last's) and Enrique varied from the ridiculous to the sublime, as always.

 

Where did Jose get those injections of pace from in the second half? A couple of times he motored up that left-flank like nobody's business!

 

Actually I thought Beye was Downings bitch today nearly all their attacks came down that side.

[fredbob]

Its a refreshing change that we're able to soak up pressure and actually defend, we look organised. Whereas before we've had to rely on putting the opposition on the back foot, even with SBR and recently Keegan the onus has been to attack and releive pressure off us that way.

 

Bassong has been a star buy quite frankly, was superb today and deserves an extended run in the team. Have been defensive about Enrique of recent times, but he has been very poor, his distribution has been woeful but the worst thing is that defensively he wasnt great either today and that is usually his saving grace, really lacked composure today.